Dennis Jones

For me, art is a way to depict a real world subject (animals, people, places) in a mythical world setting. My goal is to combine my personal mythology with the cultural mythology of the American West. The personal mythology is a product of growing up on the High Plains and ranchlands of Texas. The cultural mythology is drawn from the evolving popular culture perceptions of the historical American Frontier – from Tonto and the Lone Ranger, to Gunsmoke, to Little Big Man, to Dances With Wolves.

When I was a kid, my family spent many summers vacationing in New Mexico. On one of these trips, we spent a day wandering through the shops and galleries of Santa Fe. I was immediately drawn to the bold, vibrant colors of the local artwork. I was especially drawn to the Native artists that depicted a rich cultural history and had a living connection to their ancestral past.

Since my first exposure to art was in Santa Fe, that was my original perception of what “fine art” should be. Later, as I began searching for my own artistic direction, I became interested in early 20th Century Expressionist or Fauvist art. After studying this style I realized that many of my favorite Southwest artists were also inspired by Expressionism. So, I have come full circle. My art now reflects early Expressionism combined with the American Southwest style that originally inspired me. Call it New West Expressionism.

So now, I try to create works of art that let me travel to this mythic American West and I hope that you, the viewer, will join me on the journey.